Determining the cost of a fire suppression system for your facility depends on several critical factors like what type of facility you have, size of the space, and what asset(s) you are trying to protect. Of course, your answer to the first of those questions – type of facility – will be the leading factor as your Marco Life Safety Advisor helps find the best solution for your business.
Commercial Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems
If you need a fire suppression system for a commercial kitchen, the first question we will ask is what type of restaurant do you have? The answer to this question can sometimes give a better idea of what appliances you have. For example, if you have a steakhouse, we can assume you have a larger hood with multiple appliances. If your kitchen is a taco truck, you may only have one fryer.
The type of number of appliances you have is important in determining what kind of hazards your fire suppression system needs to protect. Certain appliances, like stoves or deep fat fryers, require a nozzle for the fire suppression system installed directly above for best fire protection.
Next, how big is your kitchen hood exhaust? This is where the nozzles for the fire suppression system will be installed, so it is important to know the size of the space they must protect.
Speaking of size, some kitchens have more than one hood; does yours? This is also a determining factor.
Is this an existing restaurant or new construction? This will help determine the timeline of installation as well as difficulty. In a new construction job, it is much easier for the Marco team to install a kitchen fire suppression system. In an existing restaurant, we have to work around the existing structure and the customer’s schedule. We can’t install a suppression system when you have a kitchen full of people, so we must work around operating hours.
Data Center Fire Suppression Systems
If you have valuable assets that cannot risk being damaged from fire or the fire protection system that puts out the fire, a fire suppression system may be your best line of defense. Just think – a fire sprinkler system may put out the fire in your server room, but create additional, unnecessary risk when dumping water on electrical equipment.
In protecting your data center or computer room, it is first important to know the size of the room, as this will help determine the size of the system.
Does this room have an underfloor? In these spaces, you can protect your assets from above and below by running your suppression system through the ceiling and underneath the floor tiles.
How many doors are there in the room? When using a CO2 suppression system for a data center, you need to ensure there are no air leaks in the room so the system works properly. Doors, points of entry, ceiling tiles, cracks in the walls, etc. call all compromise the integrity of the room. Marco performs a fan test to determine problematic areas.
Lastly, is it an existing room? Considering all previous points, if this is an existing room, there may be a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure a fire suppression system will work properly in the space. If the room needs to be built, it is much easier to design it exactly as it needs to be to serve its purpose and be properly protected.
Paint Booth Fire Suppression Systems
Does your facility have a paint booth located outside somewhere on the property? If so, you need a fire suppression system to protect it.
The type of paint booth will help determine how the fire suppression system is installed. Is your paint booth an Automotive Spray Booth or an Open-Faced Booth? Autobody shops and refinishing areas have paints, solvents, and other flammable liquids – a perfect combination to start a fire. All it takes is one spark. If it is not an automotive booth, what are you painting? NFPA 33 requires fire protection for large-scale indoor paint applications. But if you are a manufacturer that uses a non-flammable coating, you are not required to abide by the standard.
What is the size of the booth and what type of plenum does it have (down draft, cross draft, horseshoe, box plenum, etc.)? How many ducts are there? All of these questions take into consideration the airflow and the likelihood of overspray buildup that would cause a fire hazard. There are booth ventilation requirements to reduce buildup of flammable material and reduce chance of ignition.
CO2 Fire Suppression Systems
Many customers know when they need CO2 suppression systems specifically, but there are still important considerations to be made, as these systems also have varying components dependent on your specific needs. Answers will be very broad, but these questions will help us narrow down to determine how best to protect your business.
- What is the hazard you are protecting?
- Is it in an enclosed space?
- Is it located in a normally occupied space? (Do people enter this area?)
- Do you currently have an CO2 systems at your location?
Determining which fire suppression system is best to protect your business can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. When you trust Marco Protection Systems, LLC for your fire suppression needs, you will have industry experts designing and installing the best solution possible. You can rest easy knowing you have a fire protection team who has your best interests in mind. Your life safety and property protection is important to us.